California average gas prices set new record for second consecutive day

Gas prices are displayed on a gas pump at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012.

California now has the highest average gas prices in the United States. AAA said in a press release that the national average price for a gallon of gas on Monday leveled off at 3.41 dollars, which is 11 cents more than a month ago and 1.29 dollars more than a year ago, but down a penny since last week. Since Oct. 30, the national average has fallen on nine different days, after having risen steadily each of the previous 31 days.

"A slight dip in gas demand, possibly due to seasonal driving habit changes, is contributing to some price relief at the pump," said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in the press release.

"Unfortunately, the ongoing tight supply of crude oil will likely keep gas prices fluctuating, instead of dropping, for some time," Gross noted.

The spike in prices is being blamed in part on the rising cost of crude oil, as well as unplanned refinery maintenance and refinery shutdowns, reported KNBC, the West Coast flagship station of the NBC television network, licensed to Los Angeles.

Production issues after heavy rainfall in northern California in late October also played a role, the news outlet added.

Gas, food and housing prices have gone up substantially in the United States in recent months as the country is still battling supply chain bottlenecks. Prices for U.S. consumers jumped 6.2 percent in October compared with a year earlier, marking the highest inflation rate since 1990. 

People fuel vehicles at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

A man fuels a car at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

A woman stands beside a gas pump at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

Vehicles queue to refuel at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

People fuel vehicles at a gas station in Los Angeles, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

Gas prices are displayed at a gas station in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 15, 2021. The average price of gas in California reached 4.682 U.S. dollars per gallon on Monday, setting a new record for the most populous U.S. state for a second consecutive day. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price for regular gasoline was 4.676 U.S. dollars per gallon on Sunday, which already beat the state's previous record of 4.671 dollars for regular gasoline set in October 2012. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)